Vanderpump Rules stars dish on Season 4 drama and new cast members (VIDEO)

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Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix reveal how Vanderpump Rules Season 4 is different than any other

The fourth season of Vanderpump Rules kicks off tonight on Bravo, and it looks like fans can expect plenty of drama. SheKnows sat down with costars and real-life couple Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix to get the dish on the new cast members and the relationships that are put to the test this season.

As fans know all too well, Vanderpump Rules has never had any shortage of drama, but Madix says this season ups the ante. As the trailer hinted, viewers can expect to see some major ups and downs in various relationships, from a happy engagement between costar Tom Schwartz and longtime girlfriend Katie Maloney, to the apparent end of newlywed bliss between Scheana Shay and her husband, Michael Shay.

"There are some relationship issues between Scheana and [Michael] Shay; some issues with him personally," Madix said of the upcoming season. "Just different relationships and different friends are put to the test in a new way that people haven't seen before."

The Season 4 trailer revealed some of those personal issues, hinting that Michael suffers from an apparent substance abuse problem — something that took even Madix, a good friend of his, by surprise. It wasn't something that I ever thought was going on with him and I felt really horribly," she said. "I felt really horribly that he didn't feel comfortable talking about it and that he was kind of suffering through this alone."

But while Scheana and Michael may be facing some serious personal issues this season, they aren't the only ones who will run into problems. Sandoval says Season 4 also includes a particularly regretful moment for him. "I did one thing this season that I never, ever, ever thought I would do," he teased, although audiences will have to stay tuned to find out exactly what it is.

The new cast members, Lala Kent and Faith Stowers, are also doing their part to spice things up. "They're probably my favorite new additions that we've ever had," Sandoval said. "They came in and they were very just real, open book, 'This is who I am, I'm not trying to do anything; I'm not putting on a show.'"

As for what viewers should expect from the newbies, Madix describes Kent as "a very sensitive, warm soul" with a "tough exterior" and Stowers as "a badass bitch" with a military background — which sounds like it'll make an excellent match for the rest of the Vanderpump crowd.

In addition to Kent and Stowers' introduction, former costar Stassi Schroeder is set to make a return at some point this season, although Madix says that viewers will have to wait until later in the season to catch her appearance.

Between the breakups, makeups and new cast members, fans clearly have a jam-packed, drama-filled season to look forward to. Vanderpump Rules Season 4 kicks off on Bravo on Monday at 9 p.m. ET, with the brand-new after show, Vanderpump Rules: After ShowPre-Show, airing on Fridays at 9 p.m. ET.